Pencil-vending machine



Aug m 1924 15%,291

J. B. WALKER PENCIL VENDING MACHI NE Filed- Dec. 9, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @Hozucq I x J. B. WALKER PENCIL VENDING MACHlNE) Filed Dec. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet =1 Patented Aug. 12, 192,1 1,

isuiaai JPENCIL-VENDING MACHINE.

Application filed December 9, 1921.

To all whom it may come m:

Be it known that 1, James B. WALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in thecounty of Dallas and State of #1 Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pencil-Vending Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in vending machines of that type or class from which small articles of merchandise are de livered upon the deposit of a coin into the mechanism, and has for its object the provision of a vending machine-from which lead pencils for writing purposes are vended.

The invention aims to provide a machine of the nature referred to which has a means for preventing spurious and counterfeit coins from being used to manipulate the mechanism, yet providing efficient and dependable means for the reception of proper coins therein for the operation thereof.

Another object of the invention is the arrangement and construction-in its parts of suitable means for containingthe supply of pencils, of supporting them in a horizontal position and for the accurate and positive delivery of one pencil at a timewith one operation of the machine.

The above and other objects of the inven tion will be better and more clearly understood by reference to thefollowing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the machine, the cover partly broken away, and the interior partly sectioned.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the removable cover, in which are located the Serial No. 521,092.

of Figure 3, and illustrating in detail'tlie construction and arrangement of the shaft and its co-acting parts of the'mechanism.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 77 of Figure 4:, showing in detail 116 locking arrangement at the top of the Figure 8 is a sectional detail view showing theconnection of the two arms for tilting the pencil tray to deliver apencil; and

Figure 9 isa cross-sectionalview taken on line 99 of Figure 6, illustrating more in detail the shaft and parts referred to in Figures 5 and 6.

Referring to the drawings more closely, 1 denotes the box or receptacle comprising the body of the machine, in the upper portion 2 of which the pencils are contained, the pencils being supported upon the inclined shelves 8 and 1. The shelf 4 is inclined downward and then bent around and upward as shown in Figure 1 and'is fastened to the sides of the box as at 5-5. The shelf 3 is secured to the back oft-he box as at 3 and its lower portion 3 is inclined at a sharper angle so that a space or delivery chute 6 is provided for the pencils.

At the upper or receivingend of the chute 6 and between the shelves 3' and 4 is a rocker plate 7 which is ,pivotedtoone side of the box at 8. The rocker plate: has a laterally formed trough or tray 9 extending across the box and is pivoted to the opposite side thereof as at 10, see Figure 1. The tray 9 is shaped to receive a pencil anol at suitable spaced intervals has a plurality of curved fingers 11, clearly shown in Figure 4. Thesefingers are for the purpose of moving the agitators 12 upward and downward to prevent the pencils from becoming jammed and to allow them to be fed uniformly onto the tray 9. The agitators are slotted at 12 and are'carried in a support 14 slotted at intervals to register with the fingers 11-11. A spring 15 servesto retract the rocker plate and tray to normal position, which operationwillbe further referred to hereinafter.

The box 1 has a removable cover 16 which contains the main parts of the mechanism, see Figure 3. At the top of the cover and secured thereto are two plates 17 and 18 and between these plates is a magnet 19 for the purpose of attracting slugs or imitation metallic coins and drawing and directing them around and into the path 20 from the mechanism. A proper coin is dropped into the slot 21 and on striking the pivoted lever 22regular coins not being effected by the magnetthe coin will fall into the mechanism for working the machine, while pasteboard imitation coins other than metal will upon striking the lever 22 bound off into the path 20 and fall into the coin box 23. The coin box is secured to the cover between the springs 23 and may be removed when desired.

Below the coin-receiving mechanism is the operating shaft 24 which has its bearings in the sides of the box cover 16 and which has an operating handle 25. A cam 26 is mounted upon and rotated with the shaft 24, see Figures 3 and 5. This cam is connected to a spring 27 and is for the purpose of bringing the shaft to normal position after the handle has been operated. A second cam 28 is mounted on the shaft 24 and when the handle is operated the cam 26 moves against and thus forces the cam 28 along the shaft against a coin 29, see Figure 5, the fingers 30 engaging the coin. A spring 31 retracts the cam 28 to normal position. A disk 32 is also secured upon and rotates with the shaft 24. This disk or roller holds the coin in position to be engaged by the fingers 30. Adjacent the disk or roller 32 is a sleeve 33 provided with fingers 34 similar to those on the cam 28, and between the fingers 30 and 34 a coin is held. On the cover 16 of the box between these fingers 34 is a ledge 34" inclined upward upon which the coin is shoved to disengage it from between the fingers and permit the coin to fall into the coin tray 23. The ledge 34 also provides a stop for the sleeve 33.

The sleeve 33 is provided with a clutch 34 which is bored to receive the endof the sleeve as shown in Figure 6. The sleeve 33 has an annular groove 35, see Figure 9, and a pin 36 which pin is passed diagonally through the clutch 34 and into the groove so that as the sleeve moves, the clutch 34 is rotated on and at the same time moves along the shaft. The clutch 34 is keyed to the shaft by a set screw 37 and slides in a groove 38 in the shaft.

- A clutchengaging sleeve 39 is also keyed to rotate around the shaft 24 by a set screw 40. resting in an annular groove 41. The numerals 42 and 43 denote the engaging portions of the clutch and its sleeve. A spring 43 retracts the clutch.

The sleeve 39. carries an arm 44 which has a lateral member 45 to form a fork as shown a in Figure'8 which fork is sloted for the re ception of a pin 46 on an arm 47 pivoted to 48 is a guide and stop through which the hand is inserted to straighten the pencils after they are placed. in the box through the space 48" between the top of the plate and the box.

The cover is fastened to the box by placing the hooks 52 through the eyes 53 formed on the box, the arm 44 being first placed in engagement with the pin 46 on the arm 47. For locking the cover in position there is provided top hooks 54, see Figure 7, which are passed through slots 55 in the top of the box and a sliding latch bolt 56 of a lock 57 is moved upon the hooks.

In operation, a coin dropped into the slot 21 will tilt the lever 22 and come to rest behind the roller or disk 32, the coin being held between the fingers 30 and 34. The handle 25 is now pressed inward from the operator which will move the camv 26 against cam 28 and thereby force the coin against the fingers 34, rotate the clutch and move it into engagement with the clutch-engaging sleeve 39. The further rotation of the shaft will pull the arms 44 and 47 outward and tilt the pencil tray 9, causing a pencil to fall out upon the platform or shelf A. When the tray is thus turned the back portion thereof closes the entrance so that another pencil cannot be received into the tray until it resumes normal position. During the operation of tilting the tray the fingers 11 are also moved against the agitators 12, forcing them upward and when the lever 25 is released the curved portion of the fingers will bear against the agitators to pull them to normal position.

hat is claimed is 1. In a check controlled vending machine. a check chute, an actuating member, a cam operated by said actuating member, a slidably mounted element operatively connected to said cam, a second slidably mounted element spaced from said first named element, a clutch operatively connected to said last named element, a check holder adjacent the exit end of said check chute and adapted to hold a check in operative relation with said first and second named slidably mounted elements, and a vending device operated by said clutch.

2. In a check controlled vending machine, an actuating member, a cam operated by said actuating member, a check engaging member operated by said cam. a second check engaging member, means whereby said check engaging members are operatively engaged.

through the medium of a check, said second check-engaging member comprising aclutch, and vending means operated by said clutch. v 3, In a check controlled vending appara' tns, an operating shaft, a cam mounted on said shaft spaced sleeves slidably mounted on said shaft, each of said sleeves having check engaging means, means whereby a check is held between said check engaging i as means, said sleeves being operatively engaged With said cam and With each other when a check is held between said check en gaging means, and Vending means adapted to be operatively engaged by one of said sleeves.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JAMES B. WALKER. 

